Samothraki Page 1

Egg shaped, isolated and
very near the Dardanelles, Samothraki is only 29 nautical miles from
Alexandroupolis in Northern Greece. Its land mass is 178 sq. km and its coastline
58 km.

It has the highest mountain
of the Aegean, Mt. Fengari, (1648 meters) or the Mountain of the Moon. Its steep shores are not inviting for beach lovers. The
population is about 3,000.

Island Features

Samothraki is the most mysterious feeling of the
Greek islands and one of the most dramatic. The mysterious feel of the island is enhanced by cliffs, nightengales, plane forests, waterfalls and the theatrical backdrop of Mount Fengari. The island has gnarled oak and plane trees, thick forests of olive and pine, dense shrubbery and damp glades with waterfalls.

The island is often wind-whipped and has no natural harbor. On the gentler slopes you can see poppies and other wild flowers in the spring. Thre are numerous frogs, toads and turtles as well as swarms of butterflies.

It's off the accessible routes for day-trippers and has no hordes of tourists detracting from the natural drama of the island. There are many ruins to see. There are two routes if you want to climb the peak: a six-hour round trip begins at Therma, and a longer but easier route begins at Profitis Ilias.